


Those Soulless Black Eyes

by ragewerthers



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: F3S, Fluff, Gladio being a good husband, Gladnis, Humor, M/M, Married Gladnis, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Post-Episode Ignis Verse 2
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-10
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:01:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,674
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29955156
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ragewerthers/pseuds/ragewerthers
Summary: Gladio is awoken by a sleepless Ignis who is suffering from something he  didn't think possible... a nightmare.What could be so terrible that the ever practical and rational Advisor can't sleep?
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Ignis Scientia
Comments: 6
Kudos: 16





	Those Soulless Black Eyes

**Author's Note:**

  * For [bgn846](https://archiveofourown.org/users/bgn846/gifts).



> Hello there!
> 
> This is another fun F3S for my friend bgn846! She gave me the prompt:
> 
> 'One of the bros’ getting coddled after either something truly terrible nightmare maybe? or just a stubbed toe. Just want hugs and comfort'
> 
> It takes place during Verse 2 so everyone lives!!!
> 
> I hope that you enjoy the fic and you can also find me on tumblr at: ragewerthers.tumblr.com
> 
> Enjoy! :D

Blinking his eyes open, Gladio squinted at the sliver of light peeking into the bedroom from the hallway. A little turn of his head the other way toward the bedroom window showed that the world outside was still wrapped in darkness and the tug of exhaustion at his eyelids told him that there was no way it was anywhere near dawn.

Turning back he squinted a little harder at the alarm clock on his nightstand, ignoring the voice in his head that said he may need glasses soon. A voice that sounded suspiciously like a certain bespectacled man that he had married and who was currently missing from the warmth of their bed. But said teasing voice was ignored for the moment as he got a good look at the time.

3:42 a.m.

Why in the name of all that was good and holy was he awake?

No.

Looking back over to the door that was only just left ajar, the real question was… why was Ignis awake?

There was no way that he had to be up for a meeting now. If Ignis had early morning meetings he would always take particular precautions the night before.

Clothes pressed and laundered would be hung on the armoire. Lunch would be pre-packed and ready to go. And most importantly, Gladio would’ve known that there was a meeting to begin with.

The mistake to not tell him had only happened once and had ended with Gladio thinking there was an early morning intruder instead of Ignis getting ready to leave.

One ripped pair of boxers, two broken coffee mugs and one  _ very _ disgruntled Adviser later, an agreement was reached that this sort of thing would never happen again.

So, if that was the case then the question still remained. What was Ignis doing up at this unholy hour?

With a quiet groan and a little bit of heartache at having to leave the warmth of their bed, Gladio sat up and rolled his shoulders before standing. 

Quietly he opened the bedroom door the rest of the way, letting in more light from the hallway and trying his best not to look like some sort of mole person as he hobbled his way toward the kitchen.

The closer he got the more he could hear the movement of his partner. Ignis was stealth incarnate so to hear things bumping, clinking and sloshing, regardless of how quiet, was still slightly unsettling to him.

As he finally made it into the living room he turned to look into the small attached kitchen, Ignis’s back greeting him where he stood by the stove. The man seemed to be in his own little world as he reached for the cupboard and pulled out a box of what looked like cocoa.   
  
That immediately sent a wave of worry though Gladio. Ignis was a creature of habit and that included his drinks.

Coffee was usually there for Ignis when he needed to wake up or de-stress.

Tea was always at hand when he needed to think.

Cocoa… that was reserved for comfort. A childish creature comfort that Ignis had told him about years ago. When things would get to be a little too much he would gravitate toward a small prepackaged mix of cocoa and milk to try and quell whatever was troubling him.

So to see Ignis standing there in the dead of night, shoulders tense and a little packet of cocoa in hand, Gladio knew that something was definitely wrong.

“It’s impolite to stare, Gladio,” Ignis’s voice murmured, making the Shield startle slightly from his spot near the kitchen’s peninsula.

“Oh uh… I didn’t… I mean… I wasn’t…,” he fumbled a bit, his sleep addled and concerned mind trying desperately to figure out what exactly he wanted to say or what he was  _ supposed _ to say.

“You did. You were. It’s okay,” Ignis said with a small smile as he turned to regard Gladio over his shoulder, the smile not quite reaching his eyes and his features looking so tired and tense before he turned back to the small saucepan of milk he was heating.

Gladio felt his chest ache at the sight and he moved closer, carefully wrapping his arms around Ignis’s middle and cuddling his head onto the man’s shoulder.

“Okay. You got me. But I mean… can you blame me? I know you’re an early riser but this is a new record, Iggy,” Gladio murmured softly, his thumb lightly soothing over the side of Ignis’s stomach, feeling the softness of the old t-shirt he was wearing. One he would never be caught dead in outside of the safety of their apartment.

Ignis gave a little huff of laughter as he stirred the milk heating up in the saucepan. “I must admit that waking you wasn’t part of the plan,” he murmured as he adjusted the temperature of the stove burner before going back to gently whisk at the milk. “I just… it’s… nothing. Not really.”

Gladio quirked an eyebrow at that and shook his head, his arms hugging Ignis a little closer around his middle. “Nuh uh. You know we don’t play the ‘stoic’ game anymore,” he reminded gently. His expression softened once more and he gently nudged the side of his partner’s head with his own. “Talk to me? What’s got you reaching for the hard stuff this evening?”

That definitely got a laugh out of Ignis as they both glanced at the packet of cocoa powder on the counter. “Fine. You’ve caught me,” Ignis said, giving a little sigh as he finally turned off the burner. “I um… I had a nightmare.”

Now that was something Gladio really hadn’t been expecting. Apparently his silence voiced his thoughts a bit too easily.

“Surprised to find out your husband suffers nightmares, love?” Ignis asked, though there was no malice or embarrassment in his voice. In fact, a small smile was even on his lips as he spoke and Gladio couldn’t help returning it.

“Yeah, a bit. I guess I thought with you having such a rational mind that… nightmares really weren’t something you suffered from. Not like Prompto… or Noct even after he plays those alien space invader games.”

“Mm yes… though you’d think the ruler of a kingdom who is in his near thirties would be able to handle a little gaming,” Ignis chuckled as he reached to grab a second mug out of the side cupboard along with another cocoa packet. Gladio smiled as he pressed a soft kiss to the side of Ignis’s neck causing the man’s smile to grow. “Come now. Like I wouldn’t offer you some of my cocoa,” Ignis chided though a soft blush appeared on his cheeks.

“Still wanted to show my appreciation,” Gladio murmured fondly. “But… did you want to talk about it? The nightmare? You’ve always listened to mine when I’ve had trouble sleeping. Seems only fair that I return the favor.”

Ignis stiffened slightly at the question, carefully pouring the packets of powder into the empty mugs before reaching for the saucepan of heated milk. “It’s… ridiculous. I don’t know why it bothered me. Really nothing to talk about,” he said quietly.

“Hey… if it’s enough to wake you and rattle you to the point of needing cocoa, I think it definitely fits the bill for something to talk about,” Gladio prompted, pressing another kiss to the side of Ignis’s neck before letting go of the man so he wouldn’t be jostled as he poured the milk into their cups.

Ignis seemed to be warring with himself for a moment and Gladio could see that he was measuring and weighing the pros and cons of telling him, but eventually, as the milk was poured and the two cups stirred, Ignis finally seemed to come to a decision.

“Okay,” he murmured, picking up both mugs and passing one to Gladio. “Lets go settle on the sofa first. Then you can be comfortable as you judge me.”

Gladio, who had been blowing over his hot cocoa, paused at that particular statement. “Judge you?” he said as Ignis moved past him and toward the living room. “You should know me better than that.” 

Sitting down on the sofa, Ignis ran a hand through his slightly disheveled hair and nodded. “I do. But I also know how you are going to react when you hear this particular nightmare,” he said with a furrowed brow.

Gladio huffed as he sat down beside the man, setting his cup of cocoa on the coffee table before wrapping an arm around Ignis and drawing him close to his side.

“Iggy, I swear on my honor as Shield that I won’t judge you,” Gladio murmured before giving a little smile. “And I swear on my vows as your husband that I will always listen to what troubles you no matter what it may be.”

Those words seemed to do the trick as Gladio soon felt Ignis relaxing against him, a soft smile playing over the man’s lips. “What did I do to deserve you?” Ignis murmured, resting his head on Gladio’s shoulder as he let the warmth of the hot cocoa seep into his hands from the mug and the warmth of his husband settle some of the chill in his bones.

“Oh… you were definitely born under a lucky star to get me,” Gladio replied cheekily, getting a snort out of Ignis who gently nudged his foot with his own.

“Ridiculous,” the advisor teased, earning himself a soft kiss to his slightly messy hair for his trouble.

“And you love it.”

“Astrals help me, I do,” Ignis chuckled before letting out a little sigh. “But… if you do happen to judge me even against your best intentions, I hold nothing against you.”

Gladio shook his head, gently nuzzling against Ignis’s soft hair. “Why don’t you tell me and then we’ll see,” he prompted softly.

After a moment Ignis found his same resolve from earlier and gave a little nod before clearing his throat. “As you already know, it was a nightmare, but it’s one that reoccurs constantly. It has to do with… something that happened on our travels to Altissia all those years ago.”

Gladio felt his brow furrow at that, his chest aching to think of what it could be. So many things had happened to them on that trip and some of them well worth being considered nightmare material and beyond. 

“Ignis... ,” he began, but the man held up his hand.

“It’s… not what you’re thinking. It… gods, this is so silly,” he said with a little chuckle and Gladio noticed his cheeks starting to go a little pink. “It starts the same. We are all somewhere picturesque, something truly worthy of one of Prompto’s impromptu photo ops. And then…  _ he _ appears….”

The venom that appeared in Ignis’s voice sent a chill down Gladio’s spine and he felt his arm tighten slightly around his poor partner. His mind instantly went to an ancient king with eyes of black.

He was horribly mistaken.

“... that  _ gods  _ damned Chocobo that took my glasses. And he’s just… just  _ standing  _ there, Gladio!  _ Staring _ at me with those soulless black eyes!” 

Gladio’s entire line of thought immediately halted as he heard the reason for his husband’s nightmares. For a moment he actually thought this was a joke until he glanced down to see the absolute intensity in Ignis’s gaze.

“And then… then as I continue staring at him my eyes start to get blurry until finally I’m squinting at this… this abomination of a bird and do you know  _ why  _ I’m squinting, Gladiolus? Because that spawn of Ifrit is wearing my glasses! Snatching them away from me like some sort of sorcerer of evil!”

The more Ignis spoke, the more Gladio’s mind had a chance to play catch up with what was being told to him… and oh… oh he was well past judging the man now.

He was looking at judgemental in the rearview mirror as he quickly sped toward what was going to be the Eos’s most ugly and hysterical laughing fit this world had ever seen.

But he tried, damn it.

Astrals help him he really did try and when historians would look back on this day, the fact that Gladio lasted even this small monologue without cracking up would be seen as a miracle.

“Do you think he still thinks of me too, Gladio?”

That did it.

Gladio’s laughter was absolutely unstoppable. He was laughing so hard that for a brief moment he actually went silent, having to bend forward and wrap his arms around his stomach for fear something was going to sprain. He may have heard a rib or two creak under the force of his laughter.

“OHOHOH M-MY GAHAHAHADS!” Gladio howled, tears of mirth on his cheeks as he continued to work his way through his laughing fit. At some point he felt Ignis’s hand soothing over his back as he covered his face with his own hands to try and bring back some good and kind husband decorum that he had promised the man.

And he almost got to it too.

Until…

“I bet he does still think of me… sadistic little bastard.”

And just like that, any ground Gladio had gained in calming himself was tossed out the window.

“WHYHEHEHE?!” he wheezed through his laughter.

Ignis chuckled beside him and he felt his partners hand still trying to soothe his back. “I’m sorry, love. Honestly, seeing you laugh over this is making me feel better about the whole thing,” he answered honestly, and if Gladio wasn’t caught up in trying to stop himself from snorting and waking up the whole apartment complex he would’ve felt a little proud to have been able to help in some way.

Eventually, though, the laughter did subside into a few hiccuped giggles, making it damn near impossible to drink his now lukewarm cocoa as Ignis cuddle up against his side.

“O-oh… oh astrals sahahave me,” Gladio wheezed, breathless from laughter as he wiped away his tears with the palms of his hands, feeling Ignis chuckle beside him.

“I told you, you would judge me,” Ignis murmured, though the sleepy smile he gave the man held no contempt.

“To be fair… I didn’t judge. I just laughed so hard I think I bruised a few internal organs,” Gladio said, sitting back against the sofa and finally getting in some lungful’s of much needed air.

“You have me there,” Ignis murmured, nuzzling into Gladio’s shoulder and closing his eyes. “I will say though… your reaction, while surprising… does make me feel a little better about the whole thing.”

“Glad I could help… even though I really,  _ really _ didn’t intend to um…,” Gladio said honestly.

“Laugh so hard you cried?” Ignis supplied for him and Gladio felt his cheeks flush even as he chuckled, wincing at the burn in his muscles.

“Yeah… sorry, Iggy,” he murmured, feeling the weight of the Advisor slowly grow more and more heavy against his side.

“S’okay. Made it seem… not so scary a’tall…,” Ignis mumbled as a little yawn escaped him.   
  
Gladio’s smile softened as he watched Ignis not even trying to battle the sleep that was slowly starting to claim him.

Reaching to the side he grabbed the little throw blanket they kept on the end of the sofa and brought it over to wrap around them, carefully shifting so they could lay down with Ignis cradled over his chest.

“Anything to help, Iggy,” Gladio murmured softly, soothing his hand over the man’s back as he felt Ignis’s breaths evening out.

He may not have been as stoic, understanding and empathetic as he had hoped to be when he heard Ignis’s troublesome dreams. But to see Ignis looking so relaxed and worry free in his sleep, he thought perhaps he really had helped him in some small way.

But astrals above was his stomach going to hurt tomorrow morning.

Another win for that god’s damned chocobo.

Sadistic little bastard.


End file.
